Recovery of spilled material



Dec. 10,' 1940. H, E. IMES RECOVERY OF SPILLED MATERIAL Filed Nov. s,1938- INVENTOR Hara/a7 5.257766 BY i E ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1.o, 1940'UNITED STATES 2,224,392 nEcovEarr oFvs'PILLED MATERIAL Harold E. Imes,Ashland, Ky., assignor to Semet- Solvay Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York application November 3, 193s, serial No. 238,574

11 claims. (01214-23)V Thisinvention relates to coke ovens and moreparticularly to a novel process and apparatus for recovering coalspilled while leveling coke oven charges.l In the operation ofhorizontal coke oven batteries, coal is charged through the tops of thecoking chambers and the tops of the charges are leveled by reciprocatinga leveling ram located on the pusher machine running on tracks along thepusher side of the battery through a leveling ram openingadjacent thetop of each chamber. During withdrawal of the leveling ram aconsiderable amount of the coal'charge is withdrawn from the chamber.I-Ieretofore, it has T5 been customary to collectv this coal in a hopperon the pusher machine and when the hopper becomes filled to dischargethe coal into a coal collecting pit; the coal is transferred by a cranefrom the pit to a railroad car which transports it to the coal stationsupplying coal to the bins from which the chamber charging cars arefilled. In practice such repeated handling of coal spilled Whileleveling the chamber charges has proved costly and necessitatedexpensive coal recoveryV -25 and handling equipment. `Furthermore, thereturn ofbatches of the spilled coal tothe coal mix to be charged intothe chambers has a tendency to change the perdetermined character of themix.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for eflicientlycollecting coal spilled from coking chambers while leveling the chargetherein and reintroducing the spilled coal into the chambers.

It is a further objectof the invention to provide a novel process forreintroducing into coking chambers the coal spilled while leveling thecharges of coal in the chambers.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In accordance with the invention, I provide on the coke oven pushermachine a horizontally reciprocable leveling ram having open bottomcoalreceiving pockets' extending therethrough and a horizontally rollingreceptacle through which the leveling ram moves as vit is introducedinto and withdrawn from the coking chambers during the charge levelingoperation. Below the leveling ram is located a hinged chute, which maybe50 positioned against the pusher side of the battery below the chamberleveling openings to catch the coal spilled through the openings duringwithdrawal of theram or retracted out of contact with the battery whenit is desired to move the pusher machine. The chute conducts the spilledcoal to a'conveyor which feeds itvintonJ hopper discharging into therolling receptacle and onto the ram. When a chamber has been chargedwith coal, the leveling ram alined with the chamber leveling opening andthe hinged chute positioned Aagainst the chamber below the opening, theleveling ram is introducedvinto the chamber to level the charge therein;coal spilled through the leveling opening is caught by the chute. Afterthe leveling operation is completed 'the spilled coal is discharged bythe conveyor into the hopper rand rolling receptacle and the levelingram is alined with an empty chamber. The rolling receptacle is movedforward intocontact with the empty chamber at a location contiguous toits leveling opening and the leveling ram is introduced into thechamber. The coal in the hopper and receptacle is carried forward by theram into the chamber, the receptacle closing the bottoms of thecoal-receiving rpockets of the ram y and maintaining the coal within thepockets until the pockets have moved within the chamber. When thespilled coal has been introduced, the ram is withdrawn, the rollingreceptacle moved out of contact with the chamber, and the chamber ischarged with coal. The hinged chuter is positioned against the chamberbelow the leveling opening and the leveling ram is reintroduced into thechamber to levelthe charge therein. The spilled coal caught by the chuteduring the leveling operation is subsequently introduced into a cokingchamber.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification andshowing for purposes of exemplication an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in sec-- tion, showingsomewhat diagrammatically a coke oven'battery equipped with apparatus inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view illustrating theinvention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

` Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the leveling ram.

In the drawing reference numeral I designates a horizontal coke ovenbattery involving a series o-f coking chambers `2 equipped with chargingopenings 3 and charging apparatus 4 which may include a car 6 running ontracks l on top of the coke oven and coal-charging hoppers 9 forintroducing charges of coal I0 into the chambers. The battery isequipped on its coke side,'i. e. the left hand side of the battery asviewed in'Fig. 1, with the usual coke side door machine and cokehandling and quenching equipment (n ot' shown).

mounted on the pusher machine in a different vertical plane from that inwhich the ,pusher ram is mounted. The leveling ram is introducedinto andWithdrawn from the chambers through In accordance chamber levelingopenings I8.y with my invention, I provide a leveling ram 28 constitutedof parallel sidey members 2l, end member 2|', and diagonally disposed'crossmeme bers 22 connecting the side members; thesemem-v bers form openbottom coal-receiving pockets 23 extending vertically throughtheram. Theram may bepower `actuatedibyA any suitablel means such' as' drum" andAcable 4connections '25 and 26 to'reciprocate it into Aand out ofthecoking chambers androllers such asillustrated at 28"in'Fig-. 2'maybeemployedto guide the movement of the ram.

Located on the sideof the 'pusher machine Aacl- .jacent the battery is arolling receptacle throughwhich' the leveling rain travels; thereceptacle is mounted' on` rollers 3I disposed on tracks`32 supported by`supporting structure 34 so that-thereceptaclemaylbe moved lfrom theposi- .tionshown inv Fig.` 2' into contactV With'the battery. Itwillrbepobserved that the receptacle 30 involves two `sides 35l` of greaterheight than the.

side Amembers 2I'of'leveling ram'ZIliand a bottom 35iwhich provides avclosure for'A the bottoms ofthe `coal-receiving pockets 2 3 jofthe ram.

Mounted`below thewr'ollingreceptacleSIJ- is a chutei equipped with ahinged-upper portion 39""pivotedat' 43' so-that it may be Atilted intoand out of engagement withV the ends of the chambersgloelow th'echamberleveling openings I8. Witte-anY elevatingl conveyor i2-"Which dischargesintohopper `43""located above the rolling receptacle 30and'thelevelingram 20. Conveyor42 may be coal l receptacles hi-A secured to" endlessnmembers 45 running on; rollers orI sprockets `4I andv 48 `and may bepower driven through suitable driving connections (n'ot'sh'own) to therollers. The conveyor" housing and connected chute 4v38` are 'X-ed tothepusher'rnachine.`

Theapparatus may beoperated asfollows: y

After 'a .charge of coke 'has' been pushed from through .chargingopeningss'3; the hinged'chute 39 istilted into` engagement with thebattery below the leveling opening I8'and the'rarn 20 is reciprocatedthrough the leveling opening to .level the charge in the chamber. Coalspilled through the leveling opening I8 is caught by chutes 38, After'the levelingfoperation is completed, the elevator 42 is operated todischarge' the coal caughtV by the chutesinto hopper 43'andmovablereceptacle 30, Whiclihopper andreceptacle are of sufficient capacity tohold the coal spilled While leveling a. charge.. When it is desired. tocharge anv .empty chamber, th`e pusher machineis moved to aline ram. 20.with theleveling. opening I8 of the. chamber and the.. rolling`receptacle Sois moved forward intocontact with the-battery so itpartially surrounds the leveling opening; the ram 'Ilielowerend'of thechute 38 communicatesI 20 is then moved forward into the chamber. Thecoal in hopper 43 and receptacle 30 is carried for- -ward by the raminto the chamber, the bottom 36 of receptacle 30 preventing discharge ofthe coal from the ram pockets Without the confines of the chamber. Whenthe coal has been introduced into the chamber, ram 20 is withdrawn, thereceptacle 304s moved out of contact with the battery, i. e. moved tothe position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a charge of coal is introducedinto the `chamber throughv charging openings 3. Hinged chute 39 isplaced in contact with the battery below thevleveling opening and, afterthe charge has beenrintroduced, the ram 20 is reciprocated-throughtheleveling opening to level the charge; coal spilled through the levelingopening by the ram is caught by chutes 38, 39 and is 'subsequentlyintroduced into an empty chamber as hereinabove described. In some casesit may be desirable to introduce the spilled coal into the chamberffromwhich it Wasswithdrawn 1 before1 leveling' another charge; inl order toaccomplish this; theerolling receptaclemay beplaced into contact withthe chamber andv theY ram 28' reintroduced intothe-chamber Whileoperating conveyor` 42.1 liirthermore; ther-coal spilled While levelingthe Vcharge in Onechamber mayy be introducedinto another chamberwhil'eintroducing the ram tolevel the' charge therein.

It Will benoted lthat-in accordance-with the invention the coal Ispilled`while levelingthe charges in chambers of a cokeovenba-ttery'is'freintro: duced into thel battery throughA th'e' chamberleveling openings `whileintroducing the-leveling; ram into the openings;thusavoi'ding-the'necessity' of repeatedly-handling the spilled coal.Furthermore, th'eapparatus lof the invention is-relatively inexpensivetor construct and operate as compared' with heretofore existingapparatus-for recoveryof coal spilled while leveling coke ovencharges.

Whilethe invention-has-been describedin con= nection with the chargingof the-poking; chambersY of a coke oven battery,it 'will be understoodthat itisy applicable to -thecharging" of i otherl coking; carbonizingand distillationI `chambers or Aretorts; the reference in theappendedclaims to -chambers is therefore used ina-broad sense toAinclude such. other chambers or retorts.-A

Since certain changes may be made in. this' inventionyWthoutdepartingfrom the scope thereof, it is intendedthat allmatter'contf'iirled'inthey above 'descriptionishall be' interpreted'as'illustrative and not'ina limitingsense.

I claim:

1. .In charging apparatus the combination comprising leveling ,meansadapted -to beintroduced and withdrawn 'through openings .in chambers tolevel the charges therein; 'means forcatchin'ggma terial Withdrawn from`said chambersv by, said` leveling means and means. including, saidleveling means for introducing said withdrawn materialk through' said.openingsinto said chambers..4

2. Cokingapparatus comprising in combination a battery ofzcokingchambers, means forgcharging. the chambers with material to'be coked;levelingmeans adapted'. to b'e introduced 'andf Withdrawn. throughopenings in saidgchambers/ to..1evel.`.the charges therein, means forcatching material. withdrawn fromA said-chambers` duringwith.- drawal ofsaid leveling .meansand means-includ#- ing said leveling ,means yforeintroducing said.. v

adapted to be introduced into said chamber through an opening in theneighborhood of the top thereof to level the charge therein, means forcatching material withdrawn from said chamber during withdrawal of saidleveling ram, means including a conveyor for feeding said withdrawnmaterial onto said leveling ram, means for retaining said withdrawnmaterial on said ram while the ram is without a coking chamber and meansfor reciprocating said ram through said opening.

4. In coking apparatus the combination comprising a leveling ram adaptedto be introduced into and withdrawn from coking chambers to level thecharges therein, said leveling ram having coal-receiving openingstherein, means for catching coal withdrawn from a chamber duringwithdrawal of the leveling ram, means for feeding said withdrawn coalinto said openings and means for maintaining the coal in said openingswhile said openings are disposed exteriorly of a chamber.

5. Coking apparatus comprising in combination a battery of cokingchambers adapted to be charged through the tops thereof with coal, aleveling ram adapted to be introduced into and withdrawn from saidchambers through openings located in the neighborhood of the topsthereof to level the charges therein, said leveling ram comprising sidemembers and a plurality of cross members connecting said side membersand forming coal-receiving openings extending vertically through saidram, a receptacle through which said ram moves as it is introduced intoand withdrawn from said chambers, said receptacle being movablesubstantially into and out of contact with said chambers, a hopperlocated above said ram, means including a chute and a conveyor forcatching coal withdrawn from said chambers by said leveling ram andfeeding the withdrawn coal to said hopper whereby the withdrawn coal maybe deposited from said hopper into the coal-receiving openings of saidram and moved by said ram into said chambers.

6. Coking apparatus comprising in combination a leveling ram adapted tobe introduced into and withdrawn from a coking chamber through anopening in the neighborhood of the top thereof, said leveling ramcomprising spaced side members and cross members forming openingstherethrough, a receptacle having a bottom and sides surrounding thebottom and sides of said leveling ram throughout a portion of the lengththereof, the sides of said receptacle being of greaterheight than saidram, means for supporting said receptacle for movement substantiallyparallel to said ram into and out of contact with said coking chamber,achute having a hinged portion adapted to be moved into engagement withsaid chamber below said leveling opening, an elevator adapted to receivecoal from said chute, a hopper into which said elevator discharges, saidhopper being located to discharge coal into said receptacle and ontosaid leveling ram, whereby coal withdrawn from a chamber duringwithdrawal of said leveling ram may be deposited into the openings ofsaid ram and introduced into a chamber.

'7. Coking apparatus comprising in combination a battery of horizontalcoking chambers adapted to be charged through their tops with coal, apusher machine mounted for movement along the pusher side of thebattery, a leveling ram on said pusher machine, means for reciprocatingsaid leveling ram through openings in said chambers to level the chargesof coal therein, said leveling ram comprising parallel side membersconnect-ed by diagonally disposed cross members forming openings throughthe ram, a receptacle including side members and a bottom extendingaround .the bottom and sides but not the top of said leveling ram, thesides of said receptacle being of greater height than the side membersof said ram, roller and track means for supporting said receptacle formovement into and out of contact with said battery, a hopper fordischarging coal into said receptacle and the openings of said ram, achute having a pivoted upper portion adapted to be positioned againstsaid battery beneath said openings in said chambers and an elevator forreceiving coal from said chute and discharging said coal into saidhopper.

8. Coking apparatus comprising in combination a battery of horizontalcoking chambers, means for charging said chambers through their topswith coal, a car mounted for movement along the pusher side of thebattery, a leveling ram on said car, means for reciprocating saidleveling ram through openings in said chambers to level the charges ofcoal therein, and means mounted on said car for catching coaldiscliarged through said openings while leveling said charges andintroducing said discharged coal into said chambers while leveling thecharges in said chambers.

9. In a process of charging a coking chamber the steps comprisingintroducing coal into the chamber through a charging opening so as toform a pile of coal in the chamber, leveling .the pile within thechamber by introducing and Withdrawing a leveling ram through a levelingopening inthe chamber, collecting the coal discharged from the chamberthrough said leveling opening While leveling the coal, and introducingthe coal thus collected into a coking chamber, while leveling .thecharge therein, through the opening through which the coal is dischargedduring the leveling.

10. In a process of operating horizontal coking chambers the stepscomprising introducing charges of coal into the chambers through thetops thereof, introducing and withdrawing a leveling ram throughopenings in .the chambers to level the charges therein, catching thecoal discharged through the openings, feeding the coal thus caught ontothe leveling ram and'introducing the leveling ram into the chambers tointroduce the coal into said chambers.

11. Coking apparatus comprising in combination a battery of horizontalcoking chambers, means for charging said chambers through their topswith coal, a car mounted for movement along the side of the battery, aleveling ram on said car, means for reciprocating said leveling ramthrough openings in said chambers to level the charges of coal therein,and means mounted on said car for catching coal discharged through saidopenings while leveling said charges-and introducing said dischargedcoal into said chambers through said openings while leveling the chargesin said chambers.

HAROLD E. IMES.

